STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
Answer Key Included
STUDY GUIDE
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 1 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
CHAPTER 1 ■ Orientation to Pharmacology 1
1
Orientation to Pharmacology
STUDY QUESTIONS 10. The nurse reassesses the patient 20-30 minutes
after administering an opiate analgesic.
Matching
Match the term with its definition.
11. During discharge teaching, the nurse assesses if
1. Any chemical that can affect living pro- the patient will be able to take a prescribed drug 4
cesses. times a day as ordered.
2. The medical use of drugs.
3. The study of drugs and their interactions
with living systems.
12. When a patient is or could be pregnant, the nurse
4. The study of drugs in humans.
researches the pregnancy category of every drug
a. Clinical pharmacology administered.
b. Drug
c. Pharmacology
d. Therapeutics 13. The nurse teaches patients that the medicine cabi-
net is a bad place to store medications because the
Completion heat and humidity can damage the drug.
Fill in the blank with the property of an ideal
drug that the nurse considers in the following
situations. 14. The nurse is aware that African Americans
often do not respond as well as Caucasians to
5. The nurse teaches a patient to avoid engaging in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE I)
hazardous activities when taking an antihistamine prescribed for hypertension.
for allergy symptoms.
6. The nurse explains that a generic form of a newly
prescribed drug is available to a patient who has CRITICAL THINKING, PRIORITIZATION,
limited insurance coverage for drugs. AND DELEGATION QUESTIONS
15. Which patient would be the highest priority when
7. The nurse researches if an antidote is available providing nursing care to multiple patients?
when administering drugs that have the potential a. A patient who would like to know if a newly
to cause significant harm or death. prescribed drug is available in generic form
b. A patient who has requested a laxative because
he has not had a bowel movement in 2 days
8. The nurse administers ciprofloxacin (Cipro) c. A patient who received oral drugs 1 hour ago
through a second intravenous line separate from and has complained of tingling around his
all other drugs. mouth
d. A patient who is prescribed a drug, the name of
which the nurse does not recognize
9. The nurse explains that quinapril and Accupril are
names for the same drug.
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 2 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
2 CHAPTER 2 ■ Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
16. Which nursing action would best meet the thera- CASE STUDY
peutic objective of drug therapy?
a. Assessing the patient for adverse effects of A patient returned to the nursing unit after an esophago-
drug therapy gastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at 1200. She did not receive
b. Prescribing a drug with the fewest adverse ef- her 0900 oral drugs before the procedure because of an
fects order for nothing by mouth (NPO).
c. Prescribing a drug with the fewest serious
adverse effects 1. What factors must the nurse consider when
d. Recommending that a patient avoid taking deciding which of the 0900 oral drugs should be
drugs because there are possible adverse effects administered at this time?
2
Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
STUDY QUESTIONS CRITICAL THINKING, PRIORITIZATION,
AND DELEGATION QUESTIONS
Matching
Match the nursing action with the seven aspects 8. The nurse is preparing to administer an antihy-
of drug therapy. pertensive drug (medication that lowers the blood
pressure). The nurse assesses the patient's blood
1. Knowing the major adverse reactions of a pressure at 110/70 mm Hg. What action should the
drug, when they are likely to occur, early nurse take at this time?
signs of development, and interventions to a. Administer the medication because the antihy-
minimize discomfort and harm pertensive medication is prescribed.
2. The rights of drug administration coupled b. Assess the patient's baseline blood pressure and
with the knowledge of pharmacology the blood pressure before and after the last dose
3. Knowing the reason for drug use and being of this medication to determine if the medica-
able to assess the patient's medication needs tion should be administered.
4. Knowing the early signs of toxicity and the c. Call the prescriber, report the current blood
proper intervention when it occurs pressure, and ask if the medication should be
5. Collecting baseline data, identifying high- administered.
risk patients, and determining the patient's d. Withhold the medication because the patient's
capacity for self-care blood pressure is too low to administer an anti-
6. Taking a thorough drug history, advising the hypertensive drug.
patient to avoid drugs that may interact with
prescribed medication, and monitoring for ✳ 9. The nurse should withhold a drug and contact the
adverse interactions prescriber if the patient reported an allergy to the
7. The process to determine if a drug is benefi- drug with which symptom occurring shortly after
cial or causes harm the last time the drug was taken?
a. Constipation
a. Preadministration assessment b. Dry mouth
b. Dosage and administration c. Vesicular rash
c. Evaluating and promoting therapeutic d. Wheezing
effects
d. Minimizing adverse effects
e. Minimizing adverse interactions
f. Making as-needed (PRN) decisions
g. Managing toxicity
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 3 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
CHAPTER 2 ■ Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice 3
10. Which postoperative patient assessment would CASE STUDY
warrant withholding an opiate analgesic that de-
presses the central nervous system (CNS)? A 52-year-old man is admitted with uncontrolled hy-
a. BP 150/92 mm Hg pertension. He has been prescribed three medications:
b. Pulse 110 beats/min benazepril maleate (Lotensin) 40 mg twice a day; hydro-
c. Respirations 9/min chlorothiazide 25 mg four times a day; and verapamil
d. Temperature 102.2° F (39° C) (Calan) 80 mg three times a day. The patient admits that
he does not take the drugs as prescribed. The nurse identi-
11. Which nursing diagnosis would be most appropri- fies that the patient does not think he needs the drugs
ate for a patient who is receiving an opiate anal- because he cannot “feel” his high blood pressure and he
gesic that depresses the central nervous system does not have insurance for drugs.
(CNS)?
a. Fatigue 1. What are possible interventions to overcome these
b. Impaired physical mobility factors that are interfering with the patient's ability
c. Risk for activity intolerance to perform self-care with this medication regimen?
d. Risk for injury
✳ 12. A patient who is admitted to the nursing unit from
the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is moaning in
pain. The patient is due for another dose of pain
medication. What is the nursing priority at this 2. How does the nurse determine if administered
time? antihypertensive drugs are effective?
a. Administer prescribed pain-relieving drugs.
b. Assess the patient's vital signs, tubes, and sur-
gical site.
c. Obtain the patient's pain rating on a scale of
1-10.
d. Review the patient's allergy history. 3. The nurse is preparing to administer hydrochlo-
rothiazide, a diuretic drug that lowers blood
13. The nurse is preparing to administer insulin based pressure by increasing the excretion of water and
on the patient's metered blood glucose level. electrolytes—sodium and potassium—via the
Which action could be delegated to a licensed kidneys. What laboratory tests should the nurse
practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN)? review before administering this drug?
a. Documenting the insulin that the RN adminis-
tered
b. Drawing up the insulin in the syringe
c. Identifying the patient for medication adminis-
tration
d. Obtaining the metered blood glucose level 4. What should be included when providing teaching
about a newly prescribed drug?
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 4 of 337
Answer Key Included
STUDY GUIDE
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 1 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
CHAPTER 1 ■ Orientation to Pharmacology 1
1
Orientation to Pharmacology
STUDY QUESTIONS 10. The nurse reassesses the patient 20-30 minutes
after administering an opiate analgesic.
Matching
Match the term with its definition.
11. During discharge teaching, the nurse assesses if
1. Any chemical that can affect living pro- the patient will be able to take a prescribed drug 4
cesses. times a day as ordered.
2. The medical use of drugs.
3. The study of drugs and their interactions
with living systems.
12. When a patient is or could be pregnant, the nurse
4. The study of drugs in humans.
researches the pregnancy category of every drug
a. Clinical pharmacology administered.
b. Drug
c. Pharmacology
d. Therapeutics 13. The nurse teaches patients that the medicine cabi-
net is a bad place to store medications because the
Completion heat and humidity can damage the drug.
Fill in the blank with the property of an ideal
drug that the nurse considers in the following
situations. 14. The nurse is aware that African Americans
often do not respond as well as Caucasians to
5. The nurse teaches a patient to avoid engaging in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE I)
hazardous activities when taking an antihistamine prescribed for hypertension.
for allergy symptoms.
6. The nurse explains that a generic form of a newly
prescribed drug is available to a patient who has CRITICAL THINKING, PRIORITIZATION,
limited insurance coverage for drugs. AND DELEGATION QUESTIONS
15. Which patient would be the highest priority when
7. The nurse researches if an antidote is available providing nursing care to multiple patients?
when administering drugs that have the potential a. A patient who would like to know if a newly
to cause significant harm or death. prescribed drug is available in generic form
b. A patient who has requested a laxative because
he has not had a bowel movement in 2 days
8. The nurse administers ciprofloxacin (Cipro) c. A patient who received oral drugs 1 hour ago
through a second intravenous line separate from and has complained of tingling around his
all other drugs. mouth
d. A patient who is prescribed a drug, the name of
which the nurse does not recognize
9. The nurse explains that quinapril and Accupril are
names for the same drug.
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 2 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
2 CHAPTER 2 ■ Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
16. Which nursing action would best meet the thera- CASE STUDY
peutic objective of drug therapy?
a. Assessing the patient for adverse effects of A patient returned to the nursing unit after an esophago-
drug therapy gastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at 1200. She did not receive
b. Prescribing a drug with the fewest adverse ef- her 0900 oral drugs before the procedure because of an
fects order for nothing by mouth (NPO).
c. Prescribing a drug with the fewest serious
adverse effects 1. What factors must the nurse consider when
d. Recommending that a patient avoid taking deciding which of the 0900 oral drugs should be
drugs because there are possible adverse effects administered at this time?
2
Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
STUDY QUESTIONS CRITICAL THINKING, PRIORITIZATION,
AND DELEGATION QUESTIONS
Matching
Match the nursing action with the seven aspects 8. The nurse is preparing to administer an antihy-
of drug therapy. pertensive drug (medication that lowers the blood
pressure). The nurse assesses the patient's blood
1. Knowing the major adverse reactions of a pressure at 110/70 mm Hg. What action should the
drug, when they are likely to occur, early nurse take at this time?
signs of development, and interventions to a. Administer the medication because the antihy-
minimize discomfort and harm pertensive medication is prescribed.
2. The rights of drug administration coupled b. Assess the patient's baseline blood pressure and
with the knowledge of pharmacology the blood pressure before and after the last dose
3. Knowing the reason for drug use and being of this medication to determine if the medica-
able to assess the patient's medication needs tion should be administered.
4. Knowing the early signs of toxicity and the c. Call the prescriber, report the current blood
proper intervention when it occurs pressure, and ask if the medication should be
5. Collecting baseline data, identifying high- administered.
risk patients, and determining the patient's d. Withhold the medication because the patient's
capacity for self-care blood pressure is too low to administer an anti-
6. Taking a thorough drug history, advising the hypertensive drug.
patient to avoid drugs that may interact with
prescribed medication, and monitoring for ✳ 9. The nurse should withhold a drug and contact the
adverse interactions prescriber if the patient reported an allergy to the
7. The process to determine if a drug is benefi- drug with which symptom occurring shortly after
cial or causes harm the last time the drug was taken?
a. Constipation
a. Preadministration assessment b. Dry mouth
b. Dosage and administration c. Vesicular rash
c. Evaluating and promoting therapeutic d. Wheezing
effects
d. Minimizing adverse effects
e. Minimizing adverse interactions
f. Making as-needed (PRN) decisions
g. Managing toxicity
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 3 of 337
, STUDY NOTES & REFERENCE GUIDE
CHAPTER 2 ■ Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice 3
10. Which postoperative patient assessment would CASE STUDY
warrant withholding an opiate analgesic that de-
presses the central nervous system (CNS)? A 52-year-old man is admitted with uncontrolled hy-
a. BP 150/92 mm Hg pertension. He has been prescribed three medications:
b. Pulse 110 beats/min benazepril maleate (Lotensin) 40 mg twice a day; hydro-
c. Respirations 9/min chlorothiazide 25 mg four times a day; and verapamil
d. Temperature 102.2° F (39° C) (Calan) 80 mg three times a day. The patient admits that
he does not take the drugs as prescribed. The nurse identi-
11. Which nursing diagnosis would be most appropri- fies that the patient does not think he needs the drugs
ate for a patient who is receiving an opiate anal- because he cannot “feel” his high blood pressure and he
gesic that depresses the central nervous system does not have insurance for drugs.
(CNS)?
a. Fatigue 1. What are possible interventions to overcome these
b. Impaired physical mobility factors that are interfering with the patient's ability
c. Risk for activity intolerance to perform self-care with this medication regimen?
d. Risk for injury
✳ 12. A patient who is admitted to the nursing unit from
the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is moaning in
pain. The patient is due for another dose of pain
medication. What is the nursing priority at this 2. How does the nurse determine if administered
time? antihypertensive drugs are effective?
a. Administer prescribed pain-relieving drugs.
b. Assess the patient's vital signs, tubes, and sur-
gical site.
c. Obtain the patient's pain rating on a scale of
1-10.
d. Review the patient's allergy history. 3. The nurse is preparing to administer hydrochlo-
rothiazide, a diuretic drug that lowers blood
13. The nurse is preparing to administer insulin based pressure by increasing the excretion of water and
on the patient's metered blood glucose level. electrolytes—sodium and potassium—via the
Which action could be delegated to a licensed kidneys. What laboratory tests should the nurse
practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN)? review before administering this drug?
a. Documenting the insulin that the RN adminis-
tered
b. Drawing up the insulin in the syringe
c. Identifying the patient for medication adminis-
tration
d. Obtaining the metered blood glucose level 4. What should be included when providing teaching
about a newly prescribed drug?
nolanjack Stuvia | Page 4 of 337
